Hi folks
The activation of Mt Stromlo VK1/AC-043 this evening started with CQ calls on 17m 18.140 MHz. No 17m contacts in 15 minutes so I moved to 20m. On 20m 14.315 MHz the band performance was good between VK, JA and ZL with signal report exchanges ranging from 5-7 to 5-9.
SSB QSOs on 20m included: Tadashi JA1VRY, Phil ZL3JD, John ZL1BYZ, Jacky ZL1WA and Hatori JH1MXV. I did hear Herbert OE9HRV calling me, even with a short burst of 80 watts I couldn’t make the LP return journey to Austria. OTH radar signals were very annoying ranging from 14.150 to 14.300 MHz, I settled for 14.315 MHz.
I tried 15m, 21.280 MHz for 20 minutes or so, zip, zilch, nothing!
Next, I moved back to 17m this time 18.145 MHz to work John ZL1BYZ, Sanyo JA1COR and John VK6NU. Finally I moved back to 20m 14.315 MHz to work Jan OK2PDT 5-5 in the clear and John VK6NU.
Timings:
17m - 06:50 to 07:10 UTC (nothing)
20m - 07:10 to 07:30 UTC, 5 QSOs JA and ZL
15m - 07:30 to 07:55 UTC, (nothing)
17m - 07:55 to 08:10 UTC, 3 QSOs ZL, JA and VK6
20m - 08:10 to 08:30 UTC, 2 QSOs OK2 and VK6
Sunset: 08:40 UTC
73, Andrew VK1AD